Brew Review-Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

I am a big Flying Dog fan. I’ve rarely been disappointed by their beers, and considering how widely available they are it’s nice to have that kind of consistent option for what I think are genuinely interesting beers. So when I opened the fridge to find that my roommate left for Christmas without a few of his Doggie Style Classic Pale Ales, I got pretty excited.

Pouring it, I was excited by the rich color and fairly strong smell of hops. The first sip betrayed my initial impressions a little bit, coming across fairly plain. There was just enough bitterness to keep it enjoyable, but there was not the same depth to the flavor that I have come to appreciate from Flying Dog. My roommate (not the one I stole it from) said he tasted citrus, though that wasn’t anything that stuck out to me. As I kept drinking the flavor became a bit stronger, though the finish lacked anything to make me keep coming back for more.

Overall, this certainly is not a bad beer. It is probably very accurately named as just a “Classic Pale Ale,” but I had gone in expecting more. I wouldn’t hesitate to drink it again, but hopefully my roommate will buy something a little more exciting for our fridge the next time he decides to leave town.